The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-03-24
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on a Variety or Interesting
Subjects.

and mark il Correspondents Column" No atten-
ton will be paid 10 communications that are not
accompanied with full name and address OF writer.
Our readers are requested to inclOse stamp for
reply to their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied to by mail only. Replies by mail will ordi-
narily be made within n week, and if in this col
umn within three weeks.l
J. b., LadcIoai1. Mo.-I. If a single man takes
homestead, does he have to go on 10 and improve
IT? My father was in the army three years. Can
take up his land and have the time ne served de-
Quoted: If so. will have take the claim in his
name? 3. Where Il the best place to homestead?
AHslCer i. Yes. Q IL you minor child of the
soldier, and your mother is dead you can take up
IA claim in your own right and name, minor of
the soldier. through guardian. g. We have no
means of knowing.
X. r.. Fort Scott, Kan.-Rate for loss Of one eye
Is so per month for enlisted man but where there
is additional disability the rate depends upon the
report of the Examining Surgeon.
l.. ID. H., NaShriHe, Tenn.-The widow can appeal
from the decision OF the Commissioner of Pensions
to the Secretary of the INTERIOR but in opinion
It would avail nothing for the that eolits is
not. in our opinion. result Of or in any way incl
dent TO- iniiammatOry rheumatism, and the PEN
sion Office will not accept that theory certainly the
Department Of the Interior will not.
q. ". g., Medicine, Neb.-I enlisted May 81. 1860,
for five years. and was discharged March IL, 1865.
How much bounty am entitled To andam Ientitled
to land warrant? AnS,Cer You entitled to neither
bounty nor land warrant.
II. o. C.. Passport. Me-. Is n mother entitled to
pension for loss of son who died in the service,
said son being married and his youngest son being
over II years of age, and wife remarked? 2. Does
said pension go to his mother If she can prove de
pendence upon said son? AnSWer. l. No; the law
allows pension To dependent parents only where
the son left no widow minor child. 2. Not if he
left n widow or child.
f. III. ~, AjlesG,rg Pals the widow of Mexi-
can war soldier entitled TO n pension. her husband
being killed by accident not incidental to his
service? AHstrer. Yes, if 81 years Of age is dis
abled or dependent upon others for support.
j. O., Wilmington, Dei-W hat Is the rate of pen
sion for the loss of and the sight OF the other
affected? AEswer. The rate for loss Of one eye is
total for the rank held by the officer soldier and
/ for any additional disability an increase above that
/ rate would depend upon the report of the Examin-
| ing Surgeon.
| q. 5. Lust Toledo. O-Did Congress appropriate
money to pay claims approved under act of June 8,
\ 1854? Anstcer. No; Congress failed to make the
\ appropriation. consequently no payment be
matte until AFTER The adjournment OF the next Con-
4 gress-say ia the Summer of lSSS.
! j. H. r., Vest Lebanon, Pa.-A5 you fail to state
I the nature of the disability, whether any evil
( denee has been furnished showing your condition
since discharge. we are unable to reply to your
question definitely. You should write To- the Com
| missioner ot Pensions and ask him what is neces-
| saTy to complete the claim.
! A. r. ~, G1rdRsr, M1ss.-If q claim is filed In
the Pension Office il can be revived at any time by
filing evidence pertaining thereto. lou should
/ write to the Commissioner of Pensions and ascer-
tain what II necessary to complete the claim. The
soldier was not entitled to bounty, for the reason
that he was discharged for disease prior to a two
years service.
d. w., Rergcn Point " I'VE do not think il
possible that you would have received additional
bounty without also having received the original
/ bounty; aud even II yOu were not paid said bounty
/ during service lNhlch IL not prObabiel 10 would
! have been paid when your claim for additional
| bounty was paid. We do not think you have any
claim for bounty However. if you desire to satisfy
/ yourself you write to the Second Auditor of
the Treasury, and he will inform you when the
| original bounty paid. The exceptions made
in act of April p Is72 were designed to cover en-
IistmCnis made priOrto July % ISL and the bounty
granted by said net of April 22 lS72 only yapplies 20
snlistments made prior to July %, 1851. For en-
listmentS made after that date provision made
10y the act Of said date which required service of
two years to entitle To bounty, unless discharged
prior TO that time account Of arouHdS received IN
| line OF duty.
J. s., Beaver Meqdo,r v. Y-If you are pensioned
for hernia you obtain u truss by writing to the
/ Surgeon General u. :. A.
| 4. q. j., CeUsiund O--I How can 7 obtain copy
Of the Rebellion Records n far as published? 2.
In making out report of a battle for the brigade
commander, HH officer was houOrably mentioned
and recommended by his Tesimental commander
a. worthy OF higher rank. Are those reports on
file anywhere, and could copy be obtained; An
StceF. /. Write to the Chief Clerk OF the War De
parmcut. this city. 2. Probably in the Office of the
AdjuiRnt-General, U. > ~, to whom you should
write.
j. r., National Home Uis-I A. enlisted in No
vemher. 1861, for three years; was discharged in
April, lstj To receive promotion, and received nc
bounty. Why II he not as much entitled TO bounty
as those who enlisted in June or July, 1851, Hn6
were discharged under the same circumstances
>. Il. was drafted in October 1851 and WAS discharg
eel in July lsij. Is there any bounty due him
| 1nSrrsF. /. Because ali enistments after July 90
| IS5l. were made under the act of tha. date. whcl
rendered necessary that the soldier should
1
| him 10 bounty. \ soldier who enlisted prior {,
! Jaiy %. 1861, for three years. and hOnOFablJ
discharged no matter how long ne served was en-
titled To sltO bounty. 2 Drafted men enrolled aite
March j. lstj for three years, were entitled by ac
} OF that date to SiOO bounty for service Of TIVE
years or more or IL discharged by reason of cOUnd
received in line of duty before two years. II. no
having served two years j. not entitled to bounty
". 4. r., GrGHd junction, Colo Re-enlisted il
1851 as private. Was paid the first iustalment o
bounty, and aflerward promoted to Lieutenan;
aud the first day after promotion the Paymaste
deducted SEQ from my pay, claiming that hat
drawn more than the pro rata of bounty. Was thi
action correct? 4HS1Uer. 1t ~ not mt all prObab
that the Paymaster took 500 from your pay; b
probably deducted 50 from the bounty which yol
had received. which was proper and legal uude
the law, because 1t WAS GdrdRce bounty paid you
and To eutiile you To retain said bounty you woul'
I have had To serve two years as an enlisted man
5 When YOU accepted n commission and were mus
D tered in an officer, your veteran bounty ceased
There never has been n law which allowed officer
| who were promoted from enlisted men To receiy
the veteran bounty to which they would have bee
= entitled had they remained enlisted men.
, j. ". Mex, UoOdSiOn. hom.-A woman lost hus
/ | band and son in service. and aeTward Tcmarrie
: | and again left widow. She had a daughte
. 10 years of age at the time of her first husband
, | death Was the widow entitled 20 pension fTou
l date of first husbands death until she REMARKED
aud the daughter entitled until l6 years of age
: AHs,rer. The widow would baye been entitled {
= pension up To the time she remarked had she file
. | her claim prior To July |, 1880; she cannot nol
= apply. II the daughter was under rs years Of ap:
Q when her mother remarked, she can yet apply
/ | otherwise she cannot.
: r. j. s. CorydoH Iad-A dependent mothe
: makes application for pension, which IS allowed
J she dying before the receipt of the voucher an
> | leaving minor heirs. Can the admlnistTatO
i sign said voucher. does the money TO ia
Government? AHS,Cer. The money goes back I
- | the Government unless there Is a claim for rein
. bursement under Section 41IS, Revised Statutes.
~ f. RoHdcH Ddk-"A" says a man can hold
n pre- cmptiou without proving up 33 months; " b
s says he cannot Who Is right? Ans'rer. "A"
; correct. pre-emption claim can be held 80 month
, from date Of settlement.
T.. e. ", MuySUiHe PA dependent mOthe
s. files application account of son killed In service
L and dies before said pension IL granted. Can oh
n father draw 10 If granted, must he make ne
, | application? AHSTeT. The father has title
= pension prior to the mothers death, and he wi
], hnve to make new application. which will dat
q only from date OF filing same. The pension whic
o would have been allowed To the mother TevCTts
% the Government, except ~ claim for reimburse
= mcnt under section I1lS. Revised Statutes.
- j. M, T;ideH. ILLS drafted man who w'
mustered Oct. 10, 1851 and discharged Oct. 49, lS6
l. entitled to any bounty? 4psIscr. No.
l. s. T.. -, Aibany. N. III. What IL the rating Il
total deafness? 2. For total in one ear and tl
other not afIec,asis 3 IL pension for deafness tl
" same for an enlisted man as for commissioned of
D. carr 4. Is not the rating generally cOnsidere
y too low, and did not the Commissioner of Pension
recommend il To be raised? s. Captain is r
"a ceiving IS per month for total deafness of one
Is that the correct ratinGf AnSrer: i. Thrice
dollars for total deafness of both for an enlste
y mnn. For commissioned officers 1t would be tot
according to- rank. See our table Of pension rates
al .. OncfOurth of total, according To rank. For q
N enlisted man 81; for nn officer, in proportion
: his rank. 3. No; the rates vary according to RAM
. 4. Yes. 8. Yes; he - rated Onefourth according
IN he rank. which i . per month. An enlisted nus
10 | would get but - for the same disability.
D. T. r. NeiC York City.-Am entitled to the Il
ference of pay between Major and LieutenantC Go